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Recommendations for 40th birthday party destination within the US

Planning a joint 40th birthday party trip for my husband and me with friends, likely around 30-40 people with~20 rooms, sometime in May or early June.

We originally wanted Cabo/Cancún because we loved the idea of a beautiful beach resort with a pool, catamaran/boating, golf, spa, etc., but several friends have international travel limitations, so we’re looking for a similar experience within the U.S.

Our priorities:

Luxury/upscale resort (hoping for a group rate)
Water + nature strongly preferred
Plenty to do for a mixed group: golf, boating, pool/beach, spa, hiking, etc.
Reasonably accessible from a major airport
We are based in California but many guests are coming from the East Coast, so Hawaii is probably too far?
Somewhere that would feel special/fun enough for a big joint 40th, not just a quiet couples resort

Any resorts you’ve stayed at or attended a group celebration at that would fit?

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u/Independent_Base_665 — 9 days ago

▲ 82 r/FATTravel

Naviva, I get it now...

Naviva comes up a lot on this sub, and people seem to really love it, but on paper I didn’t quite get it. It’s expensive, the rooms looked cool but not crazy, and at that price wouldn’t you rather be at an Aman? I also didn’t really need the whole wilderness tent shtick, especially in a place like Punta Mita.

For my husband’s birthday, we were initially supposed to go to Amanera, but because of the closures we switched to Naviva. Having now been, we were blown away.

During our stay only 10 of the 15 rooms were occupied, so there were just 20 of us. It felt exceptionally personal, and the standout part of the experience is the vibe. The best I can describe it is that the people working there seem like actual friends. They laugh together, have fun, and clearly enjoy each other’s company. Nobody seems to be going through the motions, and they draw you into that warmth so naturally that you quickly feel like part of the family. You get the sense that they’re enjoying your stay along with you — it’s hard for that warmth and fun to not be infectious. I think this is in large part due to the GM, Eduardo, who seems less like an imposing boss and more like an (exceptionally capable) big brother to the staff.

I’d describe the service as intuitive, attentive but relaxed. As an example, on arrival day, before I’d even unpacked, I decided to do a quick workout and asked for a buggy to the rock gym. As I was warming up, the personal trainer Hugo came running over, basically saying, “Hey, okay, let’s train!” No appointment, no planning. We just got into it, and I ended up having a great workout doing exercises I wouldn’t normally do. The rock gym itself was also very cool.

That was pretty much the rhythm of the stay. You’d casually chat with the staff about something that sounded fun, and then it would happen. Everyone knew us, even the housekeeping staff addressed my husband by name as we were walking around and wished him a happy birthday.

We booked a regular bungalow and were upgraded to a grand, which was really lovely. The room is a bit larger, with a bigger deck and pool. I’d clearly underestimated how much I’d enjoy actually being there.

In terms of the rate, it’s high upfront, but everything is included (food, alcohol, activities, laundry, 1 spa treatment). On the same trip, we also stayed at Rosewood and One & Only Mandarina. A relatively simple dinner at the Rosewood came to $400. Sunset cocktails and an appetizer at O&O were $200. That adds up quickly. Whereas everything at Mandarina felt like a cash grab, Naviva was the opposite. Once you’re in, they’re generous and take care of you.

A few highlights:

The first night, some local people came to distill raicilla for us. It felt casual and authentic, like, “Hey, this guy showed up with his raicilla, let’s do something fun and have a taste.” When we got back to our room, the raicilla made that evening had been beautifully bottled and left for us, at no extra charge. Such a thoughtful way to finish the experience.

They also had Gaby Moreno perform a private concert for us, which was pretty amazing with such a small group. Afterward, we had dinner at a communal table. It sounded a bit stressful, but we ended up making fast friends with another guest who was so much fun. That connection made the trip even more special. We later found out he’s also a client of u/sarahwlee 😆

We did a private breathwork and sound bath session on a terrace overlooking the ocean, just my husband and me. Afterwards I felt so physically at peace and relaxed.

All the food was elevated and exceptionally good.

For the birthday, Ximena helped me pull together an amazing surprise with very little notice: a 10-person mariachi band and a giant piñata. The staff joined in with the piñata, which made the whole thing even more fun. Again capturing the feeling of the place — guests and staff having a great time together and sharing laughs. The hotel also custom-made a mini piñata for our room, with a pull tab and chocolates. We later learned that even its wood stand had been made by hand for us.

One practical caveat, the heat. We were there in September which I’m told is one of the hottest months. So much of the experience is outdoors, and there aren’t any air-conditioned common areas. Depending on when you visit and how you handle the heat, that can be challenging.

Tldr; we loved it there and the people make it. By the end, it felt like we’d gotten to know a fun group of friends who had hosted us at their luxe nature home. Highly recommend.

u/luxtechy — 9 days ago

▲ 4 r/FATTravel

Recent experiences with Les Sources de Vougeot? Other options in Loire Valley or Brittany?

I’m having trouble finding any recent Reddit reviews on this hotel, probably because it’s so new. The other properties in Bordeaux and elsewhere in France get mixed readings. I think they were all super nice to begin with, but at least the property in Bordeaux seems like it’s having some issues with wear and tear and lack of updates. I’m wondering how luxurious this property actually is.

For background, we’ve been to Burgundy previously, and the hotel selection tends not to be amazing in that region. We are also considering going (i) to the Royal Champagne Hotel in Champagne (a region we visit yearly and are very familiar with) or to (I) Fleur de Loire in the Loire Valley or to one of the properties in Brittany for a visit to a new region.

Would love to hear any reviews of Les Sources de Vougeot. Would also love to hear if you have any recommendations for super nice spots in the Loire Valley or Brittany.

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u/BmoreBlueJay — 9 days ago

▲ 20 r/FATTravel

Ritz Yacht Collection Cruise, 9 Nights aboard the Evrima in Norway/Iceland

Short of it- we loved it (despite being quite a bit younger than the average clientele- I'm in my mid 30's and wife is 41)!! We couldn't find much (review-wise) about our exact itinerary online before leaving, so we were really just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. We stayed in the Grand Suite and found it perfectly accommodating for 2 guests and appreciated the bedroom could stay dark, even when we were in almost 24 hours of daylight! There were only about 120 guests aboard our trip and often it felt like we had the ship to ourselves- magical! We did a mix of excursions arranged by the boat and those arranged by our TA (through a third local party). Both types of activities went swimmingly but we had some unique options through our TA's local activity coordinator. Sarah Lee did our travel arrangements and everything was flawless. Crossing the Norwegian Sea got a bit choppy at times-- as in things falling/ rolling around room, doors slamming together, etc- but for the MOST part, even the seas treated us wonderfully!

Pros: vast majority of food exceeded expectations. service was generally fabulous. we were worried about the lack of activities on the boat before departing but never complained once we were onboard- between the meals, lectures (I liked the photography ones, we had a resident photographer aboard who was always available for questions etc), wine trivia/tastings (tasting were an additional fee), painting classes, sushi making class, flower arranging (definitely my fav!) etc- we were NOT bored. It was far too cold for using the pool but the spa treatments were fabulous to indulge in. Live music in the evenings was quite good and drinks (included) were spectacular! We were new to cruising but the other guests spoke about the inclusive wine menu being much better than similar ships. We had a spectacular sail through a series of fjords and the cruise arranged for us to be allowed onto the bow of the boat to get incredible views/pictures. This was an absolute highlight! We also loved how amenable the restaurants were to making additions/subtractions, half orders, etc. Our room attendant was responsive to our requests for booking activities, was always in the hall to let us in the room in the evenings (very heavy doors!), and he even brought us a board game upon request for a quiet evening. The very large exquisite box of chocolates and fresh flowers provided in our suite was also such a treat! We also got invited to tour "the bridge" and meet the Captain- it was really fun to see all the navigation equipment at work and understand how a ship like this is sailed. The attention from staff was great- they quickly learn your names, preferences, and really try to make your vacation one to always remember!

Cons: the SEA restaurant is the only non-included restaurant on the boat, it is heralded as being headed by a Michelin star chef (later we found out this chef was the inspiration for the restaurant and has almost no actual influence on it). This restaurant was strange-- completely enclosed (no sea views!) and the food was quite hit or miss. Service was the worst here, repeatedly switching our orders (despite differing dietary preferences) and we regret eating there. They are setting people up for disappointment re the Michelin star heading... The white party/ disco night were absolutely tragically decorated-- I couldn't believe this was happening on a Ritz cruise, it looked like something out of a satire or state fair. I actually laughed as I took photos. Disembarking was a low point-- our suite attendant had taken some of our luggage down but not all of it. We believed he was coming right back to get the rest but he never returned (he never said bye etc). We ended up trying to carry the rest down ourselves (and also tried to find him to tip him) and found him just hanging out in a vacated guest room. After an excellent 9 days together, it was a bit of a low note to go to give him a handsome tip to find that he had forgotten us and the rest of our luggage. The "system" they use for bags upon disembarking was a bit crazy, somehow our luggage ended up in every different line and was quite stressful to find as our car awaited us to head to the airport. Also the emergency evacuation alarm went off at 3:40AM and scared us to death (don't watch the Netflix doc on the cruise that sank before you embark!)- it turned out to be a false alarm.

I sure hope to sail again soon! Interested in checking out the Aman's ship potentially as well, but would also be PERFECTLY happy to doing another RC Yacht adventure!

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u/CommercialAd1890 — 10 days ago

▲ 2 r/FATTravel

Caribbean holiday with a baby

We’re hoping for some winter sun from the UK - thinking Caribbean. We’ll be travelling with a 3 month old (apparently a great time to travel?). Need baby friendly but not overly so, just able to get around with a pram and bonus points for any extra baby friendliness.

Aim: full relaxation, good service, good food, childcare would be ideal so we can do the full relaxation part!

Opinions on Sugar Beach, Nizuc, Little Good Harbour, Carlisle Bay welcome, and any more suggestions or advice! Budget around $2-3k/pn.

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u/Cute-Set-256 — 10 days ago